According to reports from official media on Thursday, the number of fatalities caused by an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 that shook the province of Sichuan in southwestern China has increased to 82.
According to CCTV news, the earthquake that occurred on Monday wounded more than 270 people and caused the disappearance of 35 others. It was the most powerful earthquake to strike the province since 2017.
The highways leading to the epicentre of the earthquake in Luding have been reopened by the authorities. According to reports from state media, an aftershock measuring 2.9 on the Richter scale rocked the town late on Wednesday.
In anticipation of potential geological catastrophes in Luding, including landslides, weather forecasters have issued an orange warning, the second highest level of alert. A yellow warning, which indicates a less severe threat, has been issued for central and western Sichuan.
The colour red signifies the most severe condition in China’s four-tiered weather warning system, followed by orange, yellow, and finally blue.